Heavy ordnance.



A T: DAWSON & J. HORNE,

HEAVY ORDNANGE,

APPLIGATION FILED MAP.29,1912.

Patented Gati 1912 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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Witnesses.

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APPLICATION FILED 11113.29, 1912 Patented Got. 15, 1912 5 SBEETSSHEET A. T. DAWSON 8; JQ HORNE.

HEAVY ORDNANOE.

APPLICATION-FILED MAE.29,1912,

1,041,248 Patented Oct. 15, 1912. I

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ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, AND JAMES HORNE, OF BAR- ROW-IN-FUBNESS, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOES T0 ENGLAND.

VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTIHINSTER,

HEAVY OR'DNANCE.

LOQLZS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1912.

Application filed March 29, 1912. Serial No. 687,113.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR TREVOR Dawson, knight, and James HORNE, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing, respectively, at Vickers House, Broad.

' Heavy Ordnance, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mountings for heavy ordnance of the kind in which the elevating pinions of two or more guns are carried by a transverse shaft in such a mannor that the guns move simultaneously in elevation, one or more of the said pinions being adapted to be angularly displaced relatively to the said transverse shaft in order to effect changes in the angle of elevation existing between the guns to compensate for differences in muzzle velocity of the guns.

In the specification of our British Patent- No. 4890 of 1907 we described a method of angularly displacing the elevating pinions but in the present invention we provide improved means, comprising hand actuated mechanism operating upon one or more of the said pinions through worm or other suitable gearing, and we also provide in conjunction with the aforesaid mechanism one or more appropriate indicators or the like graduated in ranges corresponding to the known difference in muzzle velocity of the guns, so that the amount of adjustment; to be given to the pinion or pimons will cor- F respond not only to the difference in muzzle velocity but also to the range. The said indicators may comprise a dial provided with the aforesaid graduations, and a pointer orthe like that can be adjusted relatively to mounting provided with one constructional form of our improvements. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of one method of displacing the elevating pinions. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a detail hereinafter referred to. Figs. (3 and Tare views similar to Figs. 2 and 3 showing another constructional form of our improvements. Fig. 8 is a plan on an enlarged scale showing more clearly the said improvements. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a detail of Fig. 8 hereinafter referred to. Fig. 10 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 8 of another constructional form of our-improvements, and Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a detail of Fig. 10 hereinafter referred to.

In all these figures like letters of refercnce indicate similar parts.

A, A are the guns and B, B the slide frames.

B is the gun platform or turntable.

C, C are the elevating shafts and C" is the clutch connecting them.

C, C are the elevating pinions gearing with the toothed elevating arcs B. B; C, C are the elevating motors and C", G the elevating worm wheels.

1). D represent hand-wheels for ungularly displacing the elevating pinions.

l) D represent the aforesaid graduated dials and D D their adjustable pointers.

in the examples shown the elevating pinions C, C are connected to their transverse elevating shafts C, C by means of a spiral or inclined key and heyway arrangemcnt as previously proposed by us. The outer end of the sleeve of each of the pinions C C of the construction shown in 1 to 5 is formed with a circlu'nfercntial groove which receives a collar (Figs. 1 to 5) preferably made in halves for convenience in as semhling. The said collar is. in the example shown in Figs. 1 to 5 attached by screws to a sleeve 0' formed with external screw threads to engage with internal screw threads in the elongated boss or nave c of a worm wheel C This: worm wheel as shown is held in position on the. transverse shaft C by a ring (Fig. 4-) engaging with collars formed on the said shaft. The eX- ternally screw threaded sleeve c is prevented from rota-ting by means of a fin c (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) extending therefrom and working in a guide .c carried on the underside of the turntable 3*. Rotary movement is transmitted to the worm wheel The upper end ot the shaft (7 is provided with a worm r? which engages with a vorm wheel (7' appertaining to the dial I) that is graduated in ranges corrcs'pt ndiug to the ditlerence in muzzle velocity oi the guns, as aforesaid. \Vhen the hand wheel D is rotated. the dial D is angularly dis vlaced until the graduation corresponding to the range at which the gun is tiring is opposite" the pointer D. At the same time the worm wheel C is angularlv displaced, and the said worm wheel through the screw threads of the boss 3 and the sleeve n displaces the latter axially. carrying with it the elevating pinion C. Owing to the inclined key and keyway connection between the shaft and the pinion C the latter is angularly displaced and the gun appertaining thereto elevated or depressed to the required extentwith respect to the other gun.

By the aforesaid arrangement with the worm wheel and the screw nearing situated co-axial. with the transverse elevating shaft and retained in position on the same by collars, all axial forces due to the endwise movement of the elevating pinion are taken up by the hearings of the said shaft.

The. axial movement of the elevating pinions may alternatively be etl'ectcd by means of a. screw threaded shaft 9 arranged parallel ot' the transverse elevating sha Ft as shown in Figs. 6 to 9, The said screwthreaded'slmtt is a shown supported in suitable bearings carried by the turntable and cooperates with a screw-thremled nut or sleeve which is formed with a fork shaped arm .0 (Figs. 8 and 9) adapted to engage in the aforesaid circumferential gro ve in the outer end of the sleeve of the elevating pinion C. The hand actuated mechanism for transmitting movement to the said screw-threaded shaft comprising the shaft (Z, worm (Z and worm whee-l C shown as being similar to that deseribedwith rct erence to hin s. l to S. The indi ator working in conjunction with the said mcihanism may also be similar to that shown by Figs. 1 to 5.

In Figs. 10 and 11 we have shown two screw-threaded shafts (l which are used in order to avoid the side strain incidental to the use ot'a single. screvv-tlxreaded shaft. These shafts are connected together by toe. gear wheels c. c to cause them to he rotated at. equal speeds. Each of the said screw-threaded shafts has mounted thereon a nut forming part at a transverse ar or crosshead C which engages in the aforesaid eircmnl'crential groove in the outer end of the sleeve of the elevating pinion.

Th= clutch C through which the elevating: shafts are connected together is adapted to be engaged or disengaged from the gun platform and is so arranged that it can be placed into a position to couple the shafts ltgjfttlter only when the guns are at the same elevation. The shafts U are supported in bearing: carried by the turntable, and are rotated by the motors C" as shown or by manual power. 7 Friction plates may, as shown in Fig. he provided and constitute the connection between the elevating worm wheels C and their shafts C so that undue stress in the parts is avoided. To prevent locking of the worms and worm wheels of the elevating gears. the worm shafts are connec ed by bevel gearing to a transverse shaft 0' as previously proposed by us.

it will be. obvious that our improvements are applicable to two. three or more guns.

lVhai' we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. ln mechanism for elevating to a common range, a plurality ct guns of different muzzle velocities, the combination with said guns of gun elevating mechanism common to all of them. range correcting mechanism associated with said guns for correcting the elevation of the guns individually for differences in muzzle velocity. and individual gun elevating connections operable by the common elevating mechanism and by the elevation correcting mechanism, the individual elevating connections being movable by the common elevating mechanism Without movingthe elevation correcting mechanism, substantially as described.

2. ln mechanism for elevating toa common range a plurality of guns of different muzzle velocities. the combination with said guns of gun elevating mechanism common to all of them, range-correcting mecwhanisiry;.-

associated with said guns for correcting the elevation of the gunsindividually for dif terences in muzzle velocity, individual gun elevating connectionsoperable by the common elevating mechanism and by the elevation correcting mechanism, the individual elevating connections being movable by the common elevating mechanism without movin the elevation correcting mechanism, and

indicating de ices associated with the elevation correcting machanism whereby the correction in the elevation of theindividual.

guns may be observed, substantially as described.

21. Tn mechanism for elevat ng to a common range plurality of gunsjof different muzzle. velocities, the combination with said guns of gun elevating" mechanism common to all of them. rangccorigecting mechanlsm associated with saidguns for otreeting the with which it is associated to indicate the corrections for different ranges, substan- Hall as clesci'lhed.

in testimony whereof we afiir; our signatux-es in presence of two witnesses.

ARTE U R TREVOR DAXVSON. JAMES HORNE. Wuumses to the signature of Arthur Trevor Dawson:

Iliwm? KING,

Jxo. R CAs nLL. \Vituesees a}; to signature of James Horne Mann G. Aunmeon, 

